The Ultimate Kid-Safe Insect Repellent Quiz

There are good reasons for parents to be concerned about their children's insect bites, some of which can lead to serious complications. Yet, parents also know that DEET, the No. 1 one bug repellant ingredient, may also have serious health consequences. What is a parent to do? Take this quiz and learn about DEET, viral encephalitis and how to protect yourself and your children from mosquitoes.

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Question 1 of 20

How does viral encephalitis occur?

from a black fly bite

from a mosquito bite

The first incidence of viral encephalitis in the United States occurred in 1999 and is linked to West Nile virus and mosquito bites. Viral encephalitis causes an infection in the central nervous system.

from a tick

Question 2 of 20

What are the acute symptoms encephalitis?

difficulty breathing and memory loss

seizures and behavioral changes

both of the above

Seek medical attention immediately if you begin to suffer the acute symptoms of encephalitis, including difficulty breathing, memory loss, seizures and behavioral changes.

Question 3 of 20

What percentage of West Nile virus cases lead to viral encephalitis?

1 percent

The incidence of viral encephalitis is relatively low. In fact, only 1 percent of West Nile virus cases in humans develops into viral encephalitis.

10 percent

20 percent

Question 4 of 20

What is DEET?

a common active ingredient in bug repellant

DEET, or N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, is an active ingredient found in most bug repellants. Concerns first grew over the negative side effects of DEET in the late 1990s.

a naturally occurring ingredient in bug repellant

a neurotoxin found in mosquitoes

Question 5 of 20

How does DEET work?

It creates a toxic smell for bugs.

It masks human odor from bugs.

It's unclear how it works.

Believe it or not, scientists don't actually have a firm idea of how DEET repels insects. The most plausible theory is that DEET masks a mosquito's perception of humans.

Question 6 of 20

What are the possible health consequences of DEET exposure?

seizures

heart attacks

both of the above

Over the years, there have been reports that DEET exposure is associated with seizures and heart attacks in children and adults.

Question 7 of 20

Which two groups are most vulnerable to the health consequences of DEET exposure?

children and the elderly

children and adults with compromised immune systems

pregnant women and children

When the health consequences of DEET became known to the general public, people became increasingly concerned that pregnant women and children were at increased risk and should avoid bug spray altogether.

Question 8 of 20

How do you get rid off mosquito larvae in an abandoned, filled swimming pool?

with fish

Add some fish, which thrive on eating mosquito larvae.

with insecticide

by draining the pool

Question 9 of 20

What's the best way to prevent mosquitoes in your backyard?

Use citronella candles

Eliminate standing water.

Clean up your backyard and get rid of any standing water, such as a filled kiddie pool or a puddle of water in a old abandoned tire. This is your best defense against mosquitoes.

Regularly use insecticide spray.

Question 10 of 20

How come you can't see mosquito larvae in standing water?

Mosquito larvae are too small to be seen by the naked eye.

Mosquito larvae are at the bottom of the pool of water.

Mosquito larvae come to the surface of a pool of water for air, but they retreat to the bottom of the water when disturbed. This is why you can't see them when you move standing water.

Mosquito larvae are the same color as murky water.

Question 11 of 20

What does it mean that DEET is a “plasticizer”?

It is made out of plastic.

It can deteriorate plastic.

Yikes! DEET, a plasticizer, can actually deteriorate plastic! Yet, you put this stuff on your skin and the skin of your children.

It has the same chemical makeup as plastic.

Question 12 of 20

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Disease Control did extensive reviews of DEET in the past few years. Based on these reviews, what are the new recommendations for DEET use in children?

It should never be used on children.

It can be used sparingly on children.

DEET, according to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Disease Control, can be used in recommended doses on children. Some parents, however, have opted to completely eliminate DEET exposure for their children by using natural, non-DEET bug repellants.

Natural, or botanically based, bug repellants were found to be less effective compared to DEET bug repellants by a Consumer Reports study.

Question 14 of 20

Which of the following common bug repellants was found to be “far less effective” compared to DEET bug repellants?

citronella candles

peppermint oil

both of the above

Citronella candles, peppermint oil and catnip were all found to be “far less effective” in repelling mosquitoes compared to DEET bug spray in a Consumer Reports study.

Question 15 of 20

What naturally occurring product is just as effective in repelling mosquitoes as a bug spray with a low DEET concentration?

soybean oil

A 2 percent concentration of soybean oil in a bug spray is just as effective as a bug spray with a low DEET concentration. It can repel mosquitoes for 1.5 to 7.3 hours.

olive oil

canola oil

Question 16 of 20

What is geranoil?

a synthetic bug repellant ingredient

an alcohol found in essential plant oils

Geranoil, which is an alcohol found in essential plant oils, has been shown to be effective in repelling mosquitoes. Geranoil, however, is a skin irritant.

a homeopathic remedy for mosquito bites

Question 17 of 20

How long can lemon eucalyptus oil protect against mosquitoes?

one hour

two hours

Lemon eucalyptus oil can protect against mosquito bites for about two hours. This is equivalent to a DEET bug spray with a 7 percent concentration of DEET.

three hours

Question 18 of 20

Lemon eucalyptus oil should not be used on children under the age of:

one

three

The Centers for Disease Control advises that lemon eucalyptus oil should not be used on children under the age of three.

six

Question 19 of 20

When does DEET exposure result in high DEET blood concentrations?

If it is ingested

When DEET is applied to the skin, it generally has very low concentrations in the blood. When DEET is ingested, however, it can result in life threatening concentrations in the blood.

If it is applied on the skin.

either of the above

Question 20 of 20

Several research studies have examined the relationship between DEET exposure and seizures in children. What is the overall finding from these studies?

DEET causes seizures in children.

DEET may predispose children for seizures.

The relationship between DEET exposure and seizures may be coincidental.

A study by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, as well as many other studies, determined that the relationship between DEET exposure and seizures in children may simply be coincidental.